


Keep Me Grounded

by BrightestStarInTheSky



Series: Some Kind Of Bromance [3]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-18 10:07:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16116191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightestStarInTheSky/pseuds/BrightestStarInTheSky
Summary: Gavin and Connor are sent to help for a case out of town and have to take a plane to get there.





	Keep Me Grounded

They were waiting for the announcement to finally board on the plane. Gavin’s leg was jumping up and down but Connor just dismissed it as the Detective being irritated at being paired with him for this assignment. He’d been pretty vocal about it after all. Connor pointedly looked at the heavy snow falling through the floor to ceiling windows, still pointedly avoiding him. He was still a little bit upset after what had happened a couple days back at the precinct. 

 

_They’d both been called to Captain Fowler’s office. Hank shot him a worried look but Connor had reassured him. They’d been on better terms lately even if it mostly happened when there weren’t many people to notice it._

_Connor had been the last one to walk in. The door closed quietly behind him. Seating in the chairs facing the office, they were waiting for the Captain to start talking. Finally, he filled in the silence._

_“There’s a case upstate requiring our expertise. Hank being busy with his current case I’ve had to change the usual teams. Gavin, you’ll be accompanying Connor. Your flight is in two days,” he said in a very clipped voice._

_Gavin’s face blanched before colours rushed back to it. When he finally talked, he sounded anything but happy. “What? No. Why? There’s no way I’m leaving this weekend, I’ve got stuff planned!”_

_The Captain closed his eyes and took a calming breath. Clearly, he’d been expecting this kind of reaction. “I don’t care about your plans. You’re going and this is none negotiable.”_

_“But I’ve got cases open here! Hank’s not the only one busy!” the abrupt movement of his arm as he pointed the mess that was the desk almost slapped Connor in the face._

_“Believe it or not, you’re not the only person working here. Officer Chen has accepted to deal with your cases while you’re gone. Which should only be for a day anyway.” Fowler’s patience was getting thinner and thinner by the minute, his left eye almost twitching._

_“A day?! That’s bullshit, why can’t they just use a phone like everyone else? I’m not a fucking plastic toy to be sent on errands on the other side of the state!”_

_“That’s enough!” the Captain shouted as he slammed his hand on his desk. From the corner of his eyes, Connor could see a couple of curious people trying to peer into the office. “You can either quit your tantrum and do as you’re told or be stuck at your desk for two months. It’s your call.”_

_Gavin was seething but didn’t utter another word. His arms were crossed so tight, Connor could have sworn the stitching of his jacket was about to rip._

_Connor hadn’t said a word during the encounter. He stood up and said, “Please forward me the information, we’ll do our best to adequately represent the DPD and help.” With a nod, he’d turned and exited the office without waiting for the Detective._

 

Lost in the replaying of the memory, Connor only realised it was time to get on the plane when Gavin stood in front of him, sending a quiet “Come on, it’s time to go,” his way.

Once they’d reached the gate, Gavin handed his ID to the agent while Connor simply pressed his hand against the scanner. The plane was on the smaller side, two rows made of two seats each. They continued in silence until they’d reached theirs, Connor finally speaking up, “Do you mind if I take the window?” to which Gavin just shook his head.

Waiting for the other passengers, they tried to get as comfortable as possible. Gavin popped earphones in and closed his eyes, probably in an attempt to catch up on sleep while Connor once again found himself looking through the window. He was so excited with experimenting for himself what flying would feel like that he didn’t notice the way the other’s face tensed when they started moving. 

 

Even as they got higher, he was still able to discern streets and buildings. His superior eyesight and database allowed him to crossmatch the information and still correctly identify most of what he saw. He could pick up on the slight change in pressure, see in extreme detail the effect of the cold on the glass next to him. 

Suddenly, everything stopped. The plane had reached an altitude too important for him to still connect to his usual network. He could only access whatever information he’d downloaded to his brain or acquired on his own. For the briefest moment, he glanced at the Detective on his left and wondered if that was how humans experienced the world. Is was oddly calming. His mind had never been so quiet before, even when all he had to do was obeying orders. Enjoying this short moment of peace, he continued staring at the clouds. 

 

Harsh turbulence brought Connor back to the inside of the cabin. A child had started crying and the seatbelt light was on. Gavin still had his eyes shut tight and was holding the armrests like his life depended on it. His breathing was ragged and way too fast. When a particularly violent one shook the plane, dislodging one of his earphones, his eyes snapped open. They were incredibly bright and almost shiny. With a shaky hand, he tried to put it back in place but couldn’t seem to hold it for long enough. 

It all clicked in Connor’s head. Gavin had been adamant that he wouldn’t go because he was terrified of flying. In a much softer tone than the one he’d been using since their meeting with Fowler, he asked: “Are you okay?”

Not trusting his voice in that moment, Gavin just gave a crisp, unconvincing nod. Despite still being annoyed at the Detective for what he’d said, Connor hated seeing him so distressed. 

“You know, the most dangerous thing that could happen to you during turbulence is hurting your head. It'd take much more to actually bring the plane down, like having a reactor brea—“

The sentence was interrupted by a pitiful whine that Gavin clearly hadn’t meant to let out. “Please, _please,_ shut up. This is so not helping.” His head was pressing hard against the headrest while he started upwards as if waiting for the oxygen mask to come down.

Hank had once told him that ignorance is bliss after he’d explained to a witness, in a much too extensive way, what had happened to their coworker. Even so, Connor was determined to help the man sitting next to him. To do so, he did what he knew best, he ran pre-constructions to figure out what approach would be best. In no conceivable outcome was he going to worsen things again. 

 

One of those stood out to him. It wasn’t the most logical one nor the one with the highest rate but this one felt right. Very gently, he grabbed the hand still clutching at the armrest and starting rubbing soothing circles on the back with his thumb. 

Gavin was so shocked he forgot he was supposed to be afraid. He felt his cheeks burn as he glared at the android and hissed “The fuck are you doing?” as he tried to get his hand back. Connor didn’t let him.

After a moment of highly uncomfortable staring where Gavin could tell he was being analysed Connor said, “Physical contact can help in stressful situations. Your muscles are already a little less tense and your breathing is returning to a normal rhythm.”

Gavin hated to admit it but he knew it was true. The never-ending movement of Connor’s thumb was taking his mind off of what was happening. His hands were hot and clammy from the stress yet Connor’s were even warmer. His skin was baby soft, the contrast evident against his own dry one. Connor’s fingers found the scar going to the inner curve of his thumb to his wrist and slowly followed it, before going back to tracing idle lines on his skin. Gavin felt a shiver run down his back, this one definitely not from fear. 

 

After a few minutes of just focusing on taking in deep breaths, Gavin started fidgeting before finally trying to get his hand back. Connor’s response was still the same. “I just want to get more comfortable,” murmured Gavin. 

Reluctantly, Connor obliged. Immediately, he lifted his arm and looped his own with it before intertwining their fingers. Gavin was right, this was more comfortable. It also felt much more personal, almost intimate. Questions filled Connor’s head, but as he turned his head towards the other, he noticed that he’d slipped his earphone back in. Instead, he pulled a white, clearly well-loved book from his bag and picked up from where he’d stopped, never letting go of Gavin’s hand. 

If after a while he felt the head of the other on his shoulder and his soft, but too fast to be sleeping breath slightly tickling his neck, he didn’t say a word. He just held on tighter. 

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing for two months and then two updates in the same week, what is happening. 
> 
> Thank you so much to those who commented and send me messages on tumblr after the last part. I'm so glad you enjoy this story.  
> A special thank you to those who also take time to comment on my skills as well as the story. English is my second language and I only started writing in July so this means an awful lot to me. 
> 
> Please let me know if you liked this either here or on tumblr, same name as here.


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